NEWS IN BRIEF

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2341, 13 October 1921, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF

During August, thousands of pilgrims climb Mount Fuji, in Japan, in a special white costume. Before they descend, the costumes are marked with a red seal, to show that the climbers have reached the summit.

The density of population in Japan is 1980 per square mile, which indicates a serious condition of congestion. The two leading cities, Tokio and Osaka, contain a population of 2,173,000 and 1,253,000 respectively. According to recent figures, the annual production of the lumber industry in Quebec is valued at £15,373,479, while the capital invested totals £17,319,098. 1 The number of lumber plants in the Dominion totals 3,410. The Formby lightship, one of the principal guides to great liners in the mouth of the Mersey, was sunk recently by the steamer Greenbrier. The lightship has for many years kept watch at the sandbanks opposite Formby. The name of the world-famous Royal North-West Mounted Police has been changed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as they now have depots all over Canada. The picturesque scarlet tunics • and Stetson hats are still worn.

During the war, banana plantations in Jamaica were levelled to plant sugar canes. Now, with a slump in sugar, the canes are being uprooted and bananas planted again. This year it is hoped to export 10,000,000 bunches, or about 1,200,000,000 bananas. The biggest and< most powerful telescope in the world has recently been installed in Mount Wilson Observatory, America, more than a mile above sea level. With its parts, it weighs 100 tons, and the great mirror alone is 13 inches thick, 100 inches in diameter, and weighs 4i tons.

The capacity of the hydro-elec-tric power plants in operation throughout France increased from 750,000 horse power in 1913 to 1,200,000 horse power at the end of 1918. Additional developments projected will, if carried out, result in the doubling of the 1913 capacity by 1922.